Process control systems, like those used in chemical, petroleum or other processes, typically include one or more centralized process controllers communicatively coupled to at least one host or operator workstation and to one or more field devices via analog, digital or combined analog/digital buses. The field devices, which may be, for example, valves, valve positioners, vessels, tanks, switches and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure and flow rate sensors), perform functions within the process such as opening or closing valves, raising/lowering temperatures and/or pressures, and measuring process parameters. The process controller receives signals indicative of process measurements made by the field devices and/or other information pertaining to the field devices, uses this information to implement a control routine, and then generates control signals that are sent over the buses or other communication lines to the field devices to control the operation of the process. Information from the field devices and the controllers may be made available to one or more applications executed by the operator workstation to enable an operator to perform desired functions with respect to the process, such as viewing the current state of the process, modifying the operation of the process, etc.
Process control system applications typically include process control routines that can be configured to perform various functions or operations in a process control system. For example, process control routines may be used to control valves, motors, boilers, heaters, and/or other devices that allow a product (e.g., petroleum, cosmetics, food, etc.) to be produced. The manufactured product may be dependent upon proper process control routine functionality, and/or may require tuning/alteration in an effort to bring product specifications within acceptable tolerances (e.g., chemical composition percentages, product viscosity, etc.).
Process control routines may also be used to monitor field devices, modules, plant areas, etc. and collect information associated with a process control system. Field devices used to implement the process control routines are typically coupled to one another and to a process controller via a data bus. In an effort to verify that the process control routines operate in a manner that maintains acceptable product tolerances, product batch parameters may be measured and saved during manufacture of the product. Control operators, plant managers, configuration personnel, maintenance personnel, engineers and/or other individuals responsible to maintain acceptable product quality may access one or more databases that store parameters associated with a product batch and/or any other manufacturing, measurement and/or research process. Accordingly, a relatively large number of personnel may have access to parameters used by the process control system, such as parameters related to temperature set points, alarm limits, time set points, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) set points, etc.
Process control systems typically include a runtime database to store parameter values. Upon a parameter value change by a user of the process control system, such as an alarm limit change, the runtime database stores the new parameter value. On a periodic, manual and/or scheduled basis, a configuration database is updated to reflect parameter values for the process control system and/or other process control systems that may also be connected to a larger networked manufacturing plant(s). Prior to the configuration database update, personnel having relatively high authority over the process control system typically verify that the data to be uploaded during the update is correct, authorized and/or within proper safety settings.